GOVERNANCE & INTEGRATION
Logistics
DELIVERING THE FUTURE
Shaping joint actions with city authorities, experts and transporters to build more sustainable cities is no easy task, especially when the world is looking at you. During the pandemic, parcel delivery companies became an essential service for the wider public – however, many started to ponder on their problems, such as emissions. But according to Jean-Claude Sonet, DPDgroup has decided to be a part of the solution
© Swaf75, Wikimedia Commons
Sustainability is DPDgroup’s license to operate. As a parcel delivery company, however, it operates thousands of vehicles every day to deliver parcels to citizens, as well as at retail and industrial partners and customers’ doorsteps. Like many other delivery companies, DPDgroup understands how it is part of the problem – namely, emissions – and therefore decided to play a role to become an integral part of the solution
Indeed, the company decided to embark relatively early on a journey to compensate its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Since 2012 it has compensated all GHG emissions from transport and buildings through renewable energy projects that have benefited over 775,000 people in local communities in Brazil and India.
Compensating emissions
In India, the offsetting program translated into producing renewable energy from wind power in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Lake, and Khandke Taluka, while carrying out other supporting project to improve local living conditions, such as access to healthcare and medicine, skills development and empowerment of women, and education and access to books and magazines for many children. In Brazil, the program supported a landfill gas collection power station to produce clean energy in Salvador de Bahia. The project has contributed to the elimination of 30 points of waste accumulation in the city, to the preservation and restoration of green spaces and to the sensitisation of local communities and especially children to the environment.
© DPDgroup
Offset the footprint and decarbonise
The compensation projects in India and Brazil have helped to offset the DPD Germany carbon footprint for 2018 of 240,467t CO2 by producing 214,058 Mwh of clean energy, supplying for one year to 169,675 people in India and 18,932 people in Brazil. Not only does this investment offset 100% of DPD’s greenhouse gas emissions from parcel delivery, but it also promotes long-lasting social and economic improvements. Compensation alone is not enough, which is why DPDgroup launched a bold decarbonisation programme in 2020. The company began by clearly analysing, understanding and targeting its actions where they have the greatest environmental impact. Unsurprisingly, considering the field of business and space of work of the company, this turned out to be the urban environment – where traffic and population densities are highest and where, consequently, GHG and air pollutant emissions are also highest. It quickly became abundantly clear that DPD had to drastically decarbonise deliveries in the urban environment if it wanted to achieve actual change.
The company began by clearly analysing, understanding and targeting its actions where they have the greatest environmental impact
Cleaner air for 225 European cities
DPDgroup’s ambitious green plan for 2025 aims to provide Europe’s 225 largest cities with exclusively low-emission delivery solutions, such as electric vehicles, natural gas vehicles and cargo bikes. The 2025 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction strategy also includes efficient and innovative line hauls, environmentally responsible buildings, and active contribution to the circular economy.
Low-emission vehicle © DPDgroup
However, decarbonising the last mile is not as simple as just putting electric vehicles on the road – it requires rethinking the whole system. From urban depots that make last mile delivery more efficient to alternative collection points and automated parcel lockers, along with the expansion of DPD’s two signature services, the company is improving its ‘first time delivery’ rates and considerably reducing its emissions per parcel. Working closely with stakeholders, including city authorities, vehicle manufacturers and customers, helps accelerate these actions and reduce the impact of delivery on the environment and local communities.
Working closely with stakeholders, including city authorities, vehicle manufacturers and customers, helps accelerate actions and reduce the impact of delivery on the environment and local communities
Some good parables
DPD Portugal partnered with Lisbon’s authorities on its European Green Capital 2020 commitment. Thanks to data measured by Pollutrack using 73 sensors on DPD’s vehicle fleet and 19 sensors at their Pickup points, Lisbon authorities were able to design their new low emission zone in the heart of the city. The PM 2.5 pollution hotpots identified enabled objective decision-making to improve air quality in Lisbon for all its citizens. This unique program is now rolled out in 14 European cities.
Oxford has become DPD's first all-electric city© DPD UK
With the acquisition of 100 MAN eTGE electric vans to augment its 300 Nissan electric vehicles, DPD UK now has the UK’s largest 3.5 tonne electric van fleet. At the same time, drivers are being helped with a £250 contribution towards installing home charging points. Oxford is also the first city in the UK fully delivered with electric vehicles. To help achieve its aim of offering low-emission deliveries to 42 French cities, Chronopost has invested in 1,000 low-emission vehicles. This initiative began in Paris where 100% low-emission deliveries have taken place since October 2019 using a variety of vehicles. The Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin is benefiting from the arrival of DPD’s urban depot equipped with two heavy-duty electric cargo bikes and four standard bikes. As it is supplied each morning by an electric VW Crafter van, the 400 parcels handled here each day are delivered locally with zero emissions.
The Prenzlauer Berg district of Berlin is benefiting from the arrival of DPD’s urban depot equipped with two heavy-duty electric cargo bikes and four standard bikes
From an industrial revolution to a sustainability revolution
All these examples show how the company is transitioning from its own industrial revolution to a solid sustainability revolution based on the use of skills and technology to ensure the creation of a sustainable model and a desirable future. This means, especially in a people-based business like parcel delivery, that there is a need to make sure that workers, customers and stakeholders are all taken care of and embarked along on the journey.
Low-emission delivery © DPDgroup
Delivery companies such as DPD have never been as visible as they have been during the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a lifeline during lockdowns and getting essential goods to people. They helped companies to get their supplies and ship their products and orders at customers' doorsteps. This visibility, whilst putting a sense of pride in them, has also highlighted their inner struggles – especially the environmental ones. For this reason, it is important for them to shift – to be focused on changing the way they operate and interact with their stakeholders so that they can make a more meaningful impact together. To jointly succeed in this journey, it is clear that delivery services need to cooperate, help each other and work with the wider ecosystem focused on smart and sustainable urban mobility. There is no other way.
It is important for delivery companies to be focused on changing the way they operate and interact with their stakeholders so that they can make a more meaningful impact together
Jean-Claude Sonet is Executive Vice-President in charge of Marketing, Communication and Sustainability at DPDgroup
To know more about DPDgroup, visit their website.